The importance of marriage in the history of mankind can hardly be undermined. Dynasties have risen and fallen, the fate of nations have changed, all touched by marriages and what they mean to us. All of us are obsessed with the idea of immortality, and the best way to stamp our presence on earth is through a propagation of our family lines. Marriage gives sanctity – legal and otherwise – to reproduction and continuation. Therefore, generating legally acceptable offspring was the most important function of marriage till even one century back. The importance of marriage took a beating in the 1970s and has not recovered yet.
Possible Reasons There are many reasons behind why people want to get married. The priorities differ widely according to country, community, culture, religion and even geographical factors. Of course, as everyone would point out, the primary reasons are love, money and children, not in that order all the time. Children born out of wedlock are not such a great taboo now as they once were, but it is still very difficult for a single unmarried parent to bring up a child all on his or her own. We have touched upon the importance of having children already. Let us have a look at some other reasons below.
Commitment Surveys have revealed over the past five years that the people of the UK are losing faith in marriage and its permanence. However, most couples getting married for the first time have agreed on one count. They feel that marriage is the best gesture that they can make to show their love towards each other. So it is more a question of making a move that has a special meaning rather than marking the beginning of an important chapter. The driving motive behind the marriage is therefore ensuring commitment towards each other. Even with one of the highest divorce rates of the world, the people of this country believe that life long commitment can be ensured by the magic of holy wedlock.
Religious Beliefs Religion continues to play a very important role in our lives. It is interesting to note that when it comes to divorce, Christians (the majority religion in the UK) want to separate religion from their personal lives. Divorce is condemned by Catholics, and while Protestants allow it, they do not condone it. Islam does not support it, and the laws governing divorce have drawn a lot of flak for this religion. Hinduism does not even have the concept of divorce, and it is a great taboo even now. Sikhs and Buddhists are not very happy with it either. In other words, marriage is considered holy by all religions, and breaking it is a sin. There are still those who feel that cohabitation is living in sin, and they look upon marriage as the only solution.
Financial Security It is hard enough to keep a job and gain enough money to buy a property by oneself. UK has the longest working hours among all EU countries, and it is better to have two earning members under one roof than just one. Couples are marrying to have a better joint income, to invest better, to share property loans together – for all those reasons concerning money. A single parent is one of the most unstable financial units of the UK, and a family is the most stable structure even in these unsure times.
Emotional Support and Intimacy Apart from the wonderful feeling of love, there are also the other emotions – respect, affection, intimacy and emotional bonding – that create the base for a good marriage. We are all lonely individuals living in a hard and competitive world. The emotional support of another human being who cares for us can be the mainstay of our lives. There are still some wonderful old romantics who celebrate their golden anniversaries. In times of difficulty, ultimately we need a sense of security that not even money can buy. It is only the warmth of another human being’s presence that can guarantee this.
Social and Parental Pressure Social and parental pressure to get married is a very strong reason in certain communities. Among Asians and Africans the trends of arranged marriage creates a lot of pressure on eligible bachelors to get married. In the Western countries, parental pressure is a valid reason behind marriage in some cases.
James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you would like more information on how to get a quickie
Divorce see http://www.quickie-divorce.com
